Dragon and Liberator

"My father does, yes," Alison said. "And of course, I want to not be turned over to the Valahgua."

"That might be difficult," Neverlin warned. "You've cost them a great deal of time and trouble."

"You're helping them get what they want," Alison countered. "I think they can afford to concede a point or two."

"Sir?" the captain called. "The Essenay's on the move again."

"It's just the ship's computer flailing around," Neverlin called back. "Ignore it."

"Yes, sir."

"Well?" Alison asked.

"All right, I'll play," Neverlin said, inclining his head to her. "If these supposed secrets are actually worthwhile, you have a deal."

Alison took a deep breath. Taneem would understand, she told herself. Surely Taneem would understand. "Okay," she said. "Here it is. . . ."

Before Jack could do more than gasp, the violet cone swept back toward him, passed unhindered through the canopy, and cut through him like a tingling knife.

Nothing happened.

Carefully, Jack opened his eyes, only then realizing that he'd even shut them. Draycos? he asked warily.

I'm here, Draycos said, just as warily. What happened?

You tell me, buddy, Jack countered, looking down at his chest. Draycos's gold-scaled head was visible through the open collar, one green eye looking up at him. I thought the Death killed everything it hit.

It does, Draycos said, sounding as puzzled as Jack felt. It always does.

Well, it didn't this time, Jack said. Not unless incredibly grubby flight suits are allowed into the afterlife.

Could they have missed? Draycos suggested doubtfully. That tingle felt rather like a near miss.

That was no miss, near or otherwise, Jack said firmly. I saw it go through me. I felt it go through me.

Then I have no idea, Draycos conceded.

"Jack?" Uncle Virge asked tentatively. "Are you all right, lad?"

"Apparently so, Uncle Virge," Jack assured him. He blinked once, shook his head to clear it, and for the first time since the Death had passed through him he focused on the view through the Essenay's canopy.

Not surprisingly, he'd let go of the yoke when the Death hit. As a result, the Essenay was more or less in drift mode, its nose angling off its original course, its engines backed off to half speed. The drive glows of the Foxwolf and Advocatus Diaboli were already a good distance ahead, still heading for the refugee fleet.

And then, as he watched, the Advocatus Diaboli detached itself from the larger ship and started an almost leisurely curve to the side. "Neverlin's pulling away," he announced.

Weight came onto his shoulder as Draycos raised his head for a look. "What do you think?" Jack asked. "Mechanical trouble?"

"I'm not reading anything obvious," Uncle Virge said. "But those five Djinn-90s that used to be riding wide cover have also turned around. Maybe they're all heading back to deal with the Malison Ring and Braxton Universis ships coming up behind us."

"The what?" Jack demanded, looking at the aft display and keying for a tactical overlay. There were new drive glows back there, all right, coming up fast behind them.

He looked back at the Advocatus Diaboli. It was halfway through its curve, still looking like it wasn't in any particular hurry to take the Death to the incoming ships.

He probably isn't in a hurry, Draycos pointed out. He'll want to make sure the Djinn-90s are in position to give him cover before he gets within range of the attackers' weapons.

That sounds like Neverlin, Jack thought back. On the other hand, the Advocatus Diaboli's leisurely turn, coupled with the Essenay's own drifting course . . .

"Okay," he said aloud. "Here's what we do. Uncle Virge, plot me an intercept course with the Advocatus Diaboli—minimum time, maximum surprise, and I want to end up running parallel along its flank."

"Jack lad, this is insane," Uncle Virge protested. "As soon as Neverlin sees you moving, he'll fire the Death at us again. You and Draycos were lucky once. You can't count on being lucky again."

"It wasn't luck," Jack insisted. "I don't know what it was, but it wasn't luck."

"But how will this gain us anything?"

"I'm going to try for a crash-dock," Jack said. "Hopefully, before they can figure out what we're doing and get the hatchway blocked. If we can get inside and stop the jamming, we can finally warn everyone about the Death weapons."